Machine for gathering signatures.



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MACHINE FUR GATHERING SIGNATURES.

fApplcnti-'m led Sept. 24, 1900.) (No Model.) 8 Sheets- Sheet l.

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No. 679,039. Patented luly 23. |901. J. E. SMYTH.

MACHINE FUR GATHERING SIGNATURES.

{Amalia-ation led Sept. 24. 1900.) (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 2,

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No. 679.039. Patented luly 23, |901. J. E. SMYTH.

MACHINE FR GATHEHING SIGNATURES.

(Application filed Sept. 24, 1900,) (No Model.) Sheefs-Sheet 3.

- ---TIHF LLL Patented July 23, |90I.

J. E. SMYTH.

MACHINE FOR GATHEJINf SIGNATURES.

(Application lecl Sept. 24, 1900.) (No Model.) B Sheets-Sheet 4.

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Patented luly 23, |90I.

' J. E. SMYTH.

MACHINE FUR GATHERING SIGNATURES. (Appuczion med sepa. 24, 1900.) (NoModel.) 4 8 Sheets-Sheet 5.

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No. 679,039.- Patented luly 23, l90l.

J. E. SMYTH. MACHINE FOR GATHERING SIGNATURES.

(Application led Sept. 24. 1900.) n (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 6.

No. 679,039. Patented my 23, lam. J. E. sMYTH.

MACHINE FUR GATHER'ING SIGNATURES.

(Application led. Sept. 24, 1900.)

8 Sheets-$heet 7.

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' Patented luly 23, |90l. J. EISINYFH..v

MACHINE F08 GATHEBING SIGNATURES.

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(No Mude.)

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v .UNITED STATES-PATENT JOSEPH E. SMYTH, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE FOR'GATH'E/RING SIGNATURES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,039, dated July 23,1901.

Applieaticn filed September 24, 1900. Serial No. 30,893. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.: j

Be it known that I, JOSEPH E. SMYTH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pasadena, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented an Improvement in Machines for GatheringSignatures, of which the following is a specification. 4

In an application for patent filed by me June' 29, 1900, Serial No.22,066, a machine for gathering signatures is shown and described, inwhich the signatures to be gathered are in boxes above a reciprocatingtable, and said table is slotted at each box, and an atmosphericseparator is applied at each slot. Said separators act upon the lowersignature of each pile of signatures, near the folded back edgesthereof, and bend the same downward, so that said signatures passthrough the slots in the table, and the signatures so bent down areseparated from the piles of signatures by the reciprocating tablepassing between the signatures bent down and the signatures above. y

In my present invention I make use of the slotted reciprocating tableandthe atmospheric separators, and I employ in addition a hingeddeflector adjacent to each separator, to pass inv quickly between thesignature bent down by the separator and the next signature above itbefore the reciprocating table moves forward, so as to insure but onesignature at each pile ot' signatures passing down through the slot inthe reciprocating table at each downward movement of the separators. Iprovide means for adjusting simultaneously all the signature-receptaclesto adapt them to the width of the signature to be gathered, and Iprovide for adjusting the movement of the reciprocating table, so as togive said table a movement about equal to the width of the receptacles.I make use of hooks for supporting the signatures at their folded backedges, so as to take the weight off the signatures below said hooks, andthereby lessen the risk of the folded back portions of the lowermostsignatures passing into the slots when the separators are depressed. Ialso provide means for deterlniningthe length of that portion of thesignatures bent by the separators, as thick paper requires a greaterlength of bend than thin paper, so as to adapt the machine to operatingupon all kinds of paper. I also provide means for giving to thereciprocating table at the end of lits forward movement a shortand quickforward-and-backward movenient, so as to jog the signatures and separateand loosen them at their front cut edges, vwhere they are liable to mattogether, and thereby prevent the sheets that are being separated beingheld at said front edges.

My invention also relates to means for ad-' jnsting the supports uponwhich the gathered signatures fall, so as to make them the properwidthfor the length of the signatures, to means for operating the chains thatconvey the signatures from said supports, to means for adjusting thereceiving-trough into which the signatures are assembled, and to otherfeatures of vinvention hereinafter referred to.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of themachine at one end thereof. Fig. 2 is a similar view at the other end ofthe machine, but looking at the opposite side ot' the machine. Fig. 3 isan end view of that portion of the machine shown in Fig. l. Fig. 4 is anend view of that portion of the machine shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is across-section of the machine at about the mid dle thereof. Fig. 6 is aplan of the machine at the end shown in Fig. 2. In this view the rejciprocating table and its parts are not shown. Fig. 7 is a plan view ofa portion of the reciprocating table, showing the devices at onesignature-receptacle. Fig. Sis a section at about the line 2 2 of Fig.'7. Figs. 9 and l0 arcsectional views at about the line fr of Fig. 7. InFig. 9 the reciprocating table is about to commence its forward movementand in Fig. 10 said table is at the end of its forward movement. Figs.7, 8, 9, and 10 are drawn to the same scale, but in larger size than thepreviously-recitedfigures. Fig. llisacross-section of the atmosphericseparator, also in larger' size. Fig. 12 is an elevation, and Fig. 13 isa section, of the devices that control the movement of the endless chainthat moves the signatures along upon the signature-slide. Fig. 14 is asection, and Fig. l5 is an elevation, of the devices that control themovement of the endless chain that moves the signatures alon gin thetransverse troughs. Fig. 16 is an elevation of the cam that givesmovement to IOO the reciprocating table. Fig. 17 is a detached view ofpart of the clutch for the power-shaft.

The frame of the machine is composed of the end frames a and b, a framec at about the middle portion of the machine, and the longitudinal barsor rails d c, forming the side frames. Said rails d c are securelybolted to the frames ct b c.

f is a shaft supported in the standard g and end frame a, and h is apulley firmly secured to said shaft, and power is applied to said pulleyby a belt to rotate said pulley and shaft.

i is a pinion loose upon the shaft f, and c is aconical friction-clutchkeyed or otherwise `secured to a sleeve of said pinion, and saidfriction-clutch is adjacent to a conical recess in the pulley 7i..

Z is a collar secured to the shaftf, and mis a wedge between the collarZ and pinion i, and said wedge is slotted for the passage of the shaftf.

'n is a spring between the friction-clutch 7c and pulley it.

When the wedge 'm is moved in one direc- 'tion,'it forces the pinion iand clutch 7c sidewise and brings the conical surface of 7e in contactwith the surface of the conical recess in the pulley h, thereby causingthe pinion t' to rotate with the shaft f, and when the wedge is movedkin the reverse direction the spring r1. forces the clutch 'away fromthe pulley h and the pinion ceases to revolve with the shaft f. Asaconvenient means for moving said wedge m I have shown said wedge asconnected with a lever o bya rod q, and said lever at its upper end isconnected to a rod 2o, that may extend the entire length of theInachine, and by moving said rod in one direction or the other the wedgeis operated as aforesaid to start or stop the machine.

The pinion 't' gives motion to a wheel lr, keyed to a shaft s, supportedin bearings on the frame ct, and on said shaft is a cam t for givingmovement to the reciprocating table, a cam u for actuating thedeflector, cams u v for operating the atmospheric separators, a cam-fwfor actuating the valves of an exhaustcylinder, hereinafter referred to,and a cam 8 for giving movement to the device that draws along thelassembled signatures in the receiving-trough. v

The reciprocating table cmd deuices for actuating the sama-Thereciprocating table 9 is composed of a number of sections of openworkcastings. Said castings are between the side bars 10, and screws at 1lpass through said ba-rs and into the sections for secu-rely holding themin place, and there is a channel-bar 12 below said sections andcentrally of the same, to which said sections are screwed at 4l. Thereciprocating table at its sides rests upon the upper surface ofthe top.rails e, and upon one of said rails there is a V- shaped rib extendingthe entire length-of Athe rail, and said rib passes into-acorrespondingly-shaped groove'in the under side ofthe table-sections, soas to guide the table in its movement. The table 9 receives its movementfrom the cam t, acting upon a lever 25, and a connecting-rod 26 isconnected at one end to the lever 25 and at the other end to the table 9at 27. I make use of two ranges of receptacles for the signatures to begathered-one at each side of the center line of the machine-and as saidreceptacles are alike and as the devices for taking the signatures fromsaid receptacles are the same at each receptacle I will describe but onereceptacle and the parts operating in connection with it.

14 14 are metal bars screwed to the table 9, as shown in Fig. 7, and theinner faces of said bars are grooved to receive the ends of a plate 15,upon which plate the pile of signatures is supported. Said plate can bemoved lengthwise of the table to adjust it to position, and afteradjustment said plate is clamped by a screw 16 passing through a slot insaid plate 15 aud into the table 9, so that said plate and table movetogether when the table is reciprocated. The sections forms ing thetable 9 are shaped, asshown in Figs. 7 and 8, so that there is anopening or slot between each two sections, and at this opening islocated the atmospheric separator 17 and the deector 18.

The atmospheric separator and means for operating the same- Theatmospheric separator is represented as a rectangular bar perforatedhorizontally the greater part of its length and. having a number ofperforated plugs screwed into the saine, with a cupshaped disk of rubberforming a sucker 168, attached to the outer end of each plug. Saidatmospheric separator is pivoted at 19 to the bars 14, and it has an arm20 projecting therefrom,with a roller at the end of said arm for a camto act upon that raises and lowers said separator, as hereinafterexplained. A metal tube 21 is screwed into one end of the separater andcommunicates with the horizontal perforation therein, and a fiexibletube 22 is connected to the tube 21 and to a tubular projection on avalve 23 of an exhaust-cylinder 24. The exhaust-cylinder 24: extends theentire length of the machine and centrally of the same, and it issupported by the end frames ci b and central frame c. 125 is the pumpfor exhausting theair from said cylinder 21, and said pump is driven bya pinion 126 on the shaft f, meshing with a wheel127 on a stud 12S,supported by the end frame a, there being a rod 129 connected at one endto the wheel 127 and pivoted at the other end to the piston-rod 130 ofthe pump.

The exhaust-cylinder has valve-seats 131 at regular'distances apart, andthere is a valve 23 upon each valve-seat, and each valve is connected toavrod 135, that is moved at the proper time, so that each valve coversor uncovers the opening in the valve-seat at the same time, and therebyallows the suction to act-in all the atmospheric separatorssimultaneously or cuts off said suction action'. In

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order to actuate said rod 135, I employ the cam w on the shaft s, andsaid cam acts upon a roller at the upper end of a lever 134, pivoted at158, and said lever is connected to the rod 135 by a link 136.

The pinion 126 is loose upon the shaft f, and the hub of the pinion isprovided with clutchteeth to engage teeth upon a collar 137, fixed tosaid shaft f, so that when the pinion is moved sidewise the teeth upont-he respective parts engage and the pinion revolves with the shaft andthe pump 125 is driven. When the pinion is moved in the reversedirection, the teeth separate and said pinion ceases to rotate, and thepump is not operated. Any suitable device may be employed for moving thepinion 126. I have shown a lever 138 in Fig. 3 for said purpose.

The deflection-The deflector 18, Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10, is triangular incross-section, with its pointed end toward the atmospheric separator,and it has a flat upper portion, and it is slightly longer than thelongest signature to be gathered. Said deflector is hinged or pivoted at149 to straps 29 29, which straps are riveted or otherwise firmlysecured to a crossbar 30,and' this latter is connected to the pullbar 32by a bolt or screw 3l. There is an arm, with a roller 40 at its end,projecting from one end of the deiiector, and upon the bar 12 there isan incline at 42, that acts upon said roller for raising or lowering thedeiiector at the proper time, as hereinafter explained. There areseveral fingers 43, each secured at one end to the cross-bar 30, and theplate 15 is slotted to receive the straps 29 and fingers 43, and saidstraps and fingers are supported near the deflector by a cross-bar 44,secured to the under side of the plate 15. The fingers 43 at their freeends prevent the signatures sagging down between the defiector and saidplate 15. The surfaces of the plate 15 and straps 29 and ngers 43 areupon the same level, and the pile of signatures restsY upon said plate,fingers, and straps. It is to be understood that each defiector 18 isconnected, as aforesaid, to the pull-bar 32, so that all the deflectorsare moved simultaneously when said pull-bar is moved, and it is also tobe understood that where the word forward77 is used with respect to themovement of the reciprocating table and pull-bar it means a movement ina direction toward the end frame a and that where backward or returnmovement is used it means a movement toward the end frame Z).

fecms for giving movement to the pullbcL1'.-The bars 14 are slotted at39 for the passage of lthe cross-bars 30, (see Figs. 1, 2, and 8,) andthere is a spring 33, (see dotted lines, Fig. 1,) acting between adownwardlyprojecting arm 34, secured to the pull-bar 32, and aprojection 45 on the under side of the table 9. The outer end of thepull-bar 32 is adapted to pass into the upper forked endof alever 36,pivoted at 37, said forked end acting upon a cross-pin near the end ofsaid pullbar, and said lever is acted upon by the cam u. on the shaft s.

38 is an adjustable stop on the pull-bar 32.

The cam u is so shaped as to allow of and give Vthe following movementsto the pull-bar: Just before the table commences to move forward thespring 33 moves the pull-bar in a direction toward the end frame a,thereby moving all the deli ectors forward in the same direction a shortdistance and stops. Then the table 9'is moved in the same direction, andby the projection 45 on the table, the spring 33, and the arm 34 on thepull-bar the table, pull-bar, and deiectors all move together until thestop 38 on the pulI-barcOmes against the end frame et, when the pull-barand deectors are arrested in their movement; but the table goes a shortdistance farther, thereby compressing the spring 33. During theaforesaid movement of the table and pullbar the cam u swung the lever 36so that the forked end of the lever was below the path of the pin uponthe pull-bar, and thereby allowed the pull-bar tobe carried forward withthe table, as aforesaid. As soon as the table commences its returnmovement the spring 33 eX- pands, and when the forward ends of the slotsin the bars 14 strike the crossbars 30 then the pull-bar and deilectorsmove back with the table, andwhen the table reaches its extreme backwardmovement the cam u acts upon the lever 36 and the latter upon thepull-bar and moves the pull-bar and defiectors back farther until thecross-bars 30 are at the rear end of the slots 39 in the bars 14, andthe spring 33 is again compressed for again giving the forward movementto the pull-bar.

The signature-m0619256(cles.-46 is the support for what I term the frontstops, and said support is formed as two standards connected by across-bar, preferably made integral with said standards, and thestandards are bolted to the rails e e. Each front stop 47, Figs. 7 and8, is made as a vertical bar or plate, having a iange at its rear thatrests upon the top surface of the support 46, and said fiange is slottedfor a bolt that clamps it to said support. I have shown two of saidfront stops for each signature-receptacle, and the folded-back edges ofthe signatures are adjacent to said front stops as they rest upon theplate 15 and adjacent parts. The lower part of each front stop isreduced in size and passes into a channel 48 in the plate 15, iingers43, and deiiector, so as to prevent the folded-back edges of thesignatures passing beneath said front stops during the reciprocation ofthe table. There are horizontal perforations in the standards of thesupports 46 and also in the central portions of the cross-bars of saidsupports for the rods 49 and 50, which rods are fitted to slide in saidsupports for the purpose of adjusting the back stops or partitions, ashereinafter explained. The support 51 for the back stops is made as ahorizontal bar suspended from and clamped to the rods 49 and 50 by bolts52.

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Said bar has downward-projecting portions to which the back stops 55 areclamped by bolts 53. Said back stops are vertical bars or plates, and aplate 54 is hinged to the lower ends of said back stops.

166 166 are L-shaped metal plates supported from the bar l by projectingfingers 186 passing over said bar, and the vertical portion of saidfingers is V-shaped to pass into the notched edge of the bar 51,andthereby prevent said plates moving sidewise after being adj usted toposition.

170 is a stop-linger upon the hinged plate 54 to limit its swingingmovement. (See Figs. 9 and 10.)

It is now to be understood that the foldedback edges of each pile ofsignatures to be gathered are adjacent to the front-stops 47, that thefront cut edges at the lower portion of the pile are adjacent to theback stops 55, and that the L-shaped plates form guides for the pile ofsignatures at the front, top, and bottom edges of the signatures.

56, Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10, represents hooks secured to a shaft 57,fitted to turn in bearings upon the front stops, and at the outer end ofsaid shaft are an arm 58 and roller, and there is a spring at 28aroundsaid shaft that tends to force the pointed end of said hooks in betweenthe signatures at the folded-back edges near the bottom of thepile ofsignatures, so as to support said signatures and take the weight off thefew signatures below said hooks, and thereby prevent the lowermostsignatures of the pile being forced into the opening in thereciprocating table by the Weight of the signatures above.

59 is an incline secured to the reciprocating table that acts upon thearm and roller 58 to move the hooks away from the piles of signatureswhen the reciprocating table oommences its forward movement.

60 60 are rods supported by and fitted to slide in the supports 46 46,and to these rods are Secured the grooved cam-plates 6l by screws 157,and there is one of these camplates for each atmospheric separator. Eachrod 60 is connected by a link 62 to a lever 63, one lever being pivotedupon the stud 37 and the other being pivoted upon the shaft f, and saidlever is acted upon by a cam t' upon the shaft s.

64 is a spring around the rod 60, andbetween the frame tt and a collaron said rod 60 and said spring moves the rod 60 and camplates in onedirection, and the cam u moves them in the other direction.

I will now describe the operation of taking a signature from one of thereceptacles, remarking that the operation is the same at all thereceptacles.

Referring to Figs. 1, 7, and 8, the parts are in the position when thereciprocating table is at the end of its extreme return movement and theatmospheric separator 17 has been brought up into position with thesuckers 168 to act upon the lowest signature of the pile v ofsignatures.

The rod 60 and cam-plates 61 are now moved in the direction of thearrow, Fig. 8, and said cam-plates acting upon the roller and arm 20 ofeach atmospheric separator swing the separator upon its pivots 19 intothe position shown in Fig. 9, and the exhaust action of the separatorbends down the folded-back edge of the lowermost signature, as indicatedin said Fig. 9. As soon as said ,atmospheric separator commences to movedown, as aforesaid, the deflector is quickly moved forward by the spring33 acting upon the pull-bar 32, and said defiector passes in between thesignature bent down by the separator and the next signature above, withits pointed end on a line below the level of the table, so as to insurethe pointed end of the deiiector passing between the signatures, asaforesaid. The roller 40 upon the dedector runs up the incline 42 duringthis forward movement of the deflector and swings the deflector upon itspivot or hinge 149 into the position shown in Fig. 9, and by inspectionofthis figure it will be seen that the top surface of the deflector isnow level with the surface of the plate 15 of the reciprocating tableand that the front portion of the deflector forms a ledge to support thefolded-back edges of the pile of signatures, so that they cannot dropinto the slot during the movement of the reciprocating table. Theexhaust is now cut oiffrom the atmospheric separator, and thereciprocating table commences its forward movement through the action ofthe cam t, lever 25, and connecting-rod 26, and by the projection 45,spring 33, and arm 34 on the pull-bar the reciprocating table and theVdeiiector move together beneath the pile of signatures and the sheetthat is being separated., which latter passes down through the openingor slot in the reciprocating table and falls upon the signature-slide,as illustrated in Fig. 10. When Athe suction action is cut off at theseparator, as aforesaid, the foldedback edge of the signature naturallysprings upward, but it comes against the inclined under side of thedeiiector, and by said defiector the signature is directed downward.Before the table reaches the end of its extreme forward movement thestop 38 upon the pull-bar 32 comes in contact with the frame a, and thedeflect-or is stopped, while the table continues its movement. Thisincreases the distance between the atmospheric separator and thedeliector, as seen in Fig. 10, and gives ample space between said partsfor the sheetthat is being separated to pass down. At the same time itallows the hinged plate 54 to drop vertically between the separator anddeiector and act as a stop to prevent the front edges of the lowestsignatures of the pile being carried below the back stops in case saidfront edges should drop in the opening in the reciprocating table. Fig.10 illustrates the position of the parts at the extreme forward movementof the table. During said forward movement of the table the top part IOOIIO

of the deliector remained level with the surface of the reciprocatingtable; but when said deflector was arrested the incline 42 on said tablemoved forward with said table and allowed the deflector to drop to theposition shown in Fig. 10. Upon the return movement of the reciprocatingtable the edge of lthe atmospheric separator takes against the hingedplate 54 and swings the same up, and if any of the front portions of thesignatures have dropped into the opening in the table said hinged platelifts them up. As the table continues its return movement the incline 42runs under the roller on the deflector and the detiector is swung up, sothat its top is level with the reciprocating table, and the deflectormoves back with the table beneath the pile of signatures until the endof the movement of the table. Then the cam n acts on the pull-bar andmoves the deilector farther away from the separator, and said dei-lectordrops into the position shown in Fig. 8 in consequence of the roller 40on the deliector running down the incline 42. The spring 64 now actsupon the rod 60 and moves the same and the cam-plate 6,1, and the latteracts upon the roller at the end of arm 2O and swings the atmosphericseparator into the position shown in Fig. 8. During the return movementof the reciprocating table the roller upon the arm 5S runs down theincline 59 and the hooks 56 pass in between the foldedback edge of thesignatures to sustain the weight of said signatures, as beforedescribed. The plate 15 of the reciprocating table completes the liftingof the hinged plate 54, and a part of the lowest signature of the pilerests upon said plate 54, and said plate 54 protects the front edge ofsaid lowest signature from injury during the movement of the table undersaid signature.

The front cut edges of the signatures are generally rough and uneven,and said edges are liable to mat together by contact with the backstops, and the lowest signature of the pile is liable to get caughtbetween the hinged plate and the edges of the rest of the pile and notdrop entirely free from the pile. To overcome this, the cam t is shapedat 155 (see Fig. 16) so as to give a short quick forward-and-backwardmovement to the reciprocating table just before it commences its regularreturn movement. This quick return movement of the table jogs7 the sig.natures on the table and moves the pile of signatures away from the backstops and hinge, separating the signatures at theirmatted edges, so thatthesheet that is being separated from the pile falls freely away.

By reference to Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 it will be seen that the edgeofthe plate 15 is in line with the pivots on which the separator swingsand that the folded-back edge of the signature as carried down by theseparator is bent at such edge. When the bending-line of the paper is inline with the pivots of the separatoror back of said pivots, there is nostrain on the signature tending to pull it away from the separator; butif the bending-line is in front of the pivots-that is, nearer the frontstops 47-then in consequence of the distance between the bending-line ofthe paper and the line of suction of the separators being less than thedistance between the pivots of said separator and said line of suctionthere will be a strain upon the signature as the separator bends thesame down and the signature will be torn or separated from the separatorin the effort to pull the signature partially from beneath the pile ofsignatures. Therefore the line of bend ot' the signature should be inline with the pivots of the separator for thin or ordinary paper; butwhen operating upon very heavy paper the line of bending may be back ofthe pivots-that is, nearer the back stops-because the greater thedistance between the line ot' suction and the line of bend of the paperthe less strain on the paper and less liability of the suckersseparating from the paper when the separator is swung down. To providefor varying the bendingline of the paper, the plate 15 is iitted toslide in grooves in the bars 14, as before mentioned, and after saidplate has been moved to position it is clamped by the screw or bolt 16,that passes through a slot in said plate and into the reciprocatingtable. (See Fig. 7 To prevent the hinged plate 54 passing down betweenthe separator and the edge of the plate 15 when the edge of said plateis back of the line of the pivots of the separator, I provide the stops156, that are secured to the reciprocating table 9, (see Fig. 7,) andthe ends of said stops adj acentto the separator are in line with thepivots of the separator. Hence they act to lift up the hinged plate 54the same as would the edge of the plate 15' if the edge of the latterwere in line with the pivots of the separator.

When the signatures are of very thin paper, it is possible if thesuckers of the separators are brought perfectly parallel with and indirect contact with the paper that the suction action might be strongenough to penetrate the lowest signature and hold a second or even athird signature. To prevent the suckers coming up to aperfectly-parallel position with the signatures, the grooved cam-plate61 must be placed nearer the front stops than shown in Fig. 8 andclamped by the screw 157 to the rod 60, so that the roller upon the armof the separator will not pass into the horizontal portion of thecam-groove. Thereby the separator will receive a movement that at theend thereof the suckers stand at an inclination to the lowest signatureof the pile and not parallel with it, and the exhaust action then willbe sufficient only to draw down one signature to the suckers.

rlfecms for regulating the movement of the reciprocating tabla-Thelength of movement given to the reciprocating table should be aboutequal to the width of the signatures being gathered, for if whengathering signa- IOO IIO

tures of small width the same movement is given to the table as whengathering larger signatures the deflector would strike the hinged plate54. Further, if the edge of the detiector passed beyond the back stops55 the lowermost signatures at the front cut-edge `portions would becarried by the friction of the table against the lowest signatures downthrough the opening in the table and beyond the back stops. Therefore Iprovide for giving to the reciprocating table a length of movement aboutequal to the width of the signatures being gathered, as follows: Asbefore mentioned, the reciprocating table receives itsl movement fromthegrooved cam t, levei` 25, pivoted at 158, and connecting-rod 26, whichlatter is connected to the lever by a pin 65 and. to the reciprocatingtable by a pin at 27. In the lever 25 there are a number ofholes, asshown by dotted lines at 66 in Figs. 1 and 3, each adapted to receivethe pin 65, and these holes are arranged in the direction ofthe lengthof the lever. Hence when the rod 26 is connected to the lever by the pin65 in the hole nearest the pivot 158 of the lever 25 the reciprocatingtable will receive its least movement, and when the rodr 26 is connectedto said lever at the hole 66 farthest from the pivot of' said lever saidtable will receive its greatest movement7 and when said rod'and leverare connected at one of the intermediate holes the table will receive aproportionate movement, thereby the amount of movement given to thereciprocating table canbe regulated as desired.

1Means for adjusting the signature-receptacZes.-ln order to adj ust allthe back stops 55 simultaneously according to the width of thesignatures tobe gathered, I connect the rods 49 and 50, which carry thesupports for said back stops, to a cross-head 67, (see Figs. 2 and 6,)which cross-headis supported by two rods-68, tted to slide in the endframe b. 69 is a rod tted to turn in a hole in said frame b and keptfrom moving lengthwise by the collars 70, and at one end of saidrodthere is a hand-wheel 71,aud the other end of said rod isscreW-threadedfor a nut portion upon the cross-head 67. By turning the hand wheel andscrew-rod 69 the cross-head 67, rods 49-and 50, and back-stop supportsof all the receptacles are moved to bring the back stops 55nearer to orfarther from the front stops 47, according to the direction in which thescrew-rod is turned, and thereby adjust the width of thesignature-receptacles as desired.

llfeans for adjusting he signature-slide.- The separated signatures fallupon the signature-slide, and said slide (see Fig. 5) is composedv of acentral bar 72 and two side bars 73 for each range ofsignature-receptacles, and said bars extend nearly the entire length ofthe machine, and they are supported by the rods or shafts 74 74, thatare tted tofturn in bearings 77, secured to the rails e e, and saidshafts are provided with right and left hand screw-threads, as shown inFigs. 5 and 6. The center bar 72' is stationary and is kept in positionby collars 76 on the shafts 74, and the side bars 73 are each made withbeveled vertical portions to keep the signatures in place as they fallupon the signature-slides. Upon the under side of each side bar 73 thereis a nut portion at for the screw-shaft, and there are two of saidscrew-shafts 74, connected by an endless chain 78, passing aroundsprocket-wheels 79 upon said shafts. At the outer end of one of saidshafts 74 there is a hand-wheel 80, and by turning the same both shaftsare rotated, and by the threaded portions of the shafts turning in thenuts on the side bars said side bars are brought nearer to or fartherfrom the central bar, according to which way the screw-shafts areturned. Thereby both signature-slides are adjusted at the same time tothe desired width. llfeans fora operating the endless chain that movesthe signatures progressively upon the signdure-slide.-There is anendless chain 81 (see Figs. 3, 5, and 6) for each signatureslide, andsaid chain passes around the sprocket-wheels 82 88 on the shafts s and83. The wheels 82 are loose on the shaft 83, and said chain is providedwith pusher-fingers 89 at regular distances apart, and the signaturesaccumulate in piles between said fingers as said chain is moved alongprogressively by the means next described. Upon the shaft s there aretwo bevel-gears 84 85, both loose on said shaft, and meshing with themis a bevel-pinion 86, and this latter gear is upon a studsecured to acollar 87, keyed to said shaft s. The wheel 84 has a tooth 90, formed bycutting away a portion of a circular part 92 upon said wheel 84. (SeeFig. 12.) lThe sprocket-wheel 88, around which the endless chain 81passes, is secured to and turns with the wheel 85.

91 is a pawl pivoted at 95, and its lower end rests by gravity againstthe circular portion 92 of the Wheel 84, and said pawl has a nger 93projecting therefrom, which finger is in the path described by aprojection 94, which is a prolongation of the stud of the pinion 86. y

It is nowto be understood that the shaft-s is' continuously rotating andthat the pinion 86 is carried around with said shaft, and when the pawl91 is not in contact with the tooth 90 the wheel 84 is carried around bythe wheel 86; but the wheel 85 and sprocket-wheel 88v are not rotated inconsequence of the weight of the chain and signatures and the frictionof the chain upon the center bar of the signature-slide. During theaforesaid movement the Wheel becomes a stationary circular rack and thewheel 86 is turned upon its axis by traveling over said Wheels 85 assaid wheel 86 is carried around bythe shafts. Consequently the wheel 84is rotated bythe pinion 86 as well as carried with it, and as thediameters of the wheels 84 and 86 are in the proportion of two to onethe wheel 84 will IOO IIO

IZO

receive a complete revolution for each halfrevolution of the shaft s.The rotation of the wheel 84 is stopped by the tooth 90 thereon comingin contact with the pawl 91. Then the wheel 84 becomes a stationarycircular rack for the wheel 86 during the neXt halfrevolution of theshaft s, and the wheel 86 gives a complete revolution to the wheel 85and sprocket-wheel 88, thereby giving the desired movement to theendless chain and the signatures carried along with it. As the wheel 86approaches the end of said second halfrevolution of the shaft s theprojection on the stud 94 comes in contact with the finger 93 of thepawl 91 and finally moves said pawl away from the tooth 90. Then thewheel 85 and sprocket-wheel 88 are stopped and the` wheel 84 is rotatedby the wheel 86, as before described.

By the aforesaid mechanism the chain is moved the required distanceduring one-half the revolution of the shaft s, and during the otherhalf-revolu tion of said shaft the chain is stationary, and it is whilethe chain is stationary that the forward movementis given to thereciprocating table and the lower signature of each receptacle separatedfrom the pile and dropped upon the signature-slide, it being understoodthat the movement given each time to the endless chain is slightly morethan the greatest width of the signature-receptacles. The piles ofsignatures are passed od successively from the signature-slides down theinclines 96 and 97 into the transverse troughs 98 and 99.

llleans for bringing the adrcmc/ng folded edges of the signatures fintoZine before heg pass 01j" the signature-slide.-The signatures as theyfall upon the signature-slide do not always drop one exactly over theother, but are more or less shingled. In order to bring the advancingfolded edges of the signatures in line before they pass down theinclines 96 97, I provide the fingers 100, secured to the shaft 101,(see Figs. 2, 4, and 6,) and they detain the signatures while thepushers on the endless chain 81 push the signatures up into an evenline. The fingers 100 are then moved out of the way by a cam 103 on theshaft 83 acting upon a rod 102, connected to a crank-arm on the shaft101, and the signatures pass down the inclines 96 and 97, as aforesaid.There is a spring at 160 around and connected at one end to the shaft101 and at the other end connected to one of the bearings for saidshaft, which spring tends to keep the ends of the lingers toward theadvancing end of the piles of signatures. The cam 103 is secured to theshaft 101 by a setscrew, so that the cam may be varied in its position,and thereby actuate the fingers at the proper time, according to thewidth of the signatures being gathered.

Means foi-pushing the signatures from the transverse trough into thereceiving-trough. The transverse troughs 98 and 99 (see Figs. 2 and 6)are separated by a partition A104, and

the signatures are pushed from said troughs by horizontal pusher-fingers106 and pass down the incline 105 into a receiving-trough.

The pusher-fingers 106 are upon an endless chain 107, that passes aroundthe sprocketwheels 108 and 109, and the piles of signatures from onerange of receptacles pass into one of the transverse troughs and fromthe other range of receptacles into the other transverse trough, and ateach movement of the endless chain 107 a pile of signatures from eachtrough is carried out by a pusher 106 and passed down the incline 105into the receiving-trough, while simultaneously the following pusher 106pushes a pile of signatures along in the trough 98 to bring said pileinto line with the trough 99. Thereby there will be always two piles ofsignatures properly assembled to be pushed into the receiving trougheach. movement of the endless chain 107.

I make use of the following devices for giving the intermittent movementto the endless chain 107: The sprocket-wheel 108 (see Figs. 4, 6, 14,and 15) is loose upon a shaft 110, and keyed or pinned to said shaft isa pinion 111, meshing with a rack 114, guided between the end frame band a plate 112, secured to or cast with said frame b. A rod 113 isconnected at one end to the rack 114 and at the other end to abevel-wheel115, meshing with a wheel 116 on a horizontal shaft 117, andat the other end of said shaft there is a bevel-pinion 159, meshing witha wheel 118 on the shaft s. There is a springbolt 119 in the hub of thesprocket-wheel 108, and the outer end of said bolt is inclined, and inthe face of the hub of the pinion 111, adjacent to the hub of thesprocket-wheel 108, there is an inclined notch forming a tooth 120. (SeeFigs. 14 and 15.) Itis now to be understood that the wheel 115 rotatescontin uously and through the rod 113 gives an up-and-down movement tothe rack 114, and during the upward movement of said rack the pinion 111rotates the sprocket-wheel108 by the tooth 120 on the pinion takingagainst the spring-bolt 119 in the hub of said sprocketwheel. Therebythe desired movement is given to the endless chain 107. During thedownward movement of said rack 114 the pinion 111 is rotated in thereverse direction to lthat given by the upward movement of said rack,and the inclined notch in the hub of the pinion 111 forces back thespring-bolt 119 and the sprocket-wheel 108 is not turned, and theendless chain 107 remains stationary during saiddownward movement of therack 114.

Trough for receiving the assembled signatures-The receiving-trough intowhich the assembled signatures are received (see Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 6)is composed of a bottom portion 121 and a back portion 122, and thelatter is supported byone or more brackets 123, bolted to the rail d ofthe frame of the machine, and the bottom 121 is hinged at 124 to abracket 123, so that the free end of said IOO IIO

bottom may be raised or lowered to adapt the trough at said free end tothe length of the signatures being gathered.

139 is a bracket or support secured to the end frame b, (see Fig. 4,)and 140 isa latchbar pivoted at 141 to said bracket, which latchbar hasteeth upon its under side to engage a tooth at 142 upon a bar secured tothe bottom 121 of the receiving-trough, and thereby hold said bottomafter being moved to the desired position. The signatures in thereceivingtrough are moved along progressively by a pusher 143, securedto a rod 144, supported in the brackets 123 and 139.

145 is a rod connected at one end to the rod 144 and at the other end toa lever 146, pivoted at 147, and a cam 8 acts upon the lever 146 toactuate aforesaid parts and move the pusher and signatures along in thetrough,

and a spring at 14S moves back the pusher to give space for the nextVolu me of signatures that pass down the incline 105 into saidreceiving-trough. l

The pusher 143 and the end of the bottom 121 are slotted, as shown inFigs. 2 and 4, so as to allow of the bottom 121 being adjusted as beforementioned. I provide fingers 152, on spring-blades connected to a stud153, to take against the rear of the volumes in the receiving-trough andsupport them when the pusher is drawn back. Said fingers are inclined,and they are moved aside by the signatures the pusher is moving, andwhen the pusher has passed beyond the iingers the blades spring back andthe ngers come behind the rear volume and keep the volumes upright inthe trough. The pusher 143 is notched to allow the fingers to passwithout touching the pusher, and there is a block 167 in the trough tokeep the signatures from falling over at the advancing end of the row ofvolumes. The volumes of signatures in the receivingtrough are indicatedby dotted lines in Fig. 6.

It is to be understood that in starting the machine incomplete piles ofsignatures will be delivered into the transverse troughs. Thus if thereare ten signature-receptacles the iirst nine piles delivered will beincomplete, but the tenth and following deliveries will be completepiles. Vhen the machine is stopped, the last nine piles of signatureswill also be incomplete, but when put with the firstnine pileswill formcomplete volumes.

The devices hereinbefore described are adapted to operate upon singlesheets of paper as well as upon folded signatures.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combinationin asign attire-gatherer,with a range of receptacles for holding the piles of signatures, of asectional table acting in connection with the receptacles and means forreciprocating said table, pivoted atmospheric separators actingin thespaces between the table-sections, means for swinging said separators atpredetermined periods, pivoted defiectors adjacent to the separators,and means for actuating said deectors to cause them to pass between thesignatures engaged by the separators and the next signatures thereto,substantially as specified.

2. The combination in a signaturegatherer, with a range of receptaclesfor holding the piles of signatures, of a table composed of sectionsbeneath the receptacles, and means for reciprocating said table, pivotedatmospheric separators between one table-section and the next, means forswinging said separators after the folded edges of the signatures havebeen drawn to the separators by atmospheric action, a .pivoted delectoradjacent to each separator, and means for actuating the deflect`ors sothat each dei-lector passes in-between the signature carried down by theseparator and the signature next above, substantially as set forth.`

3. The combination in a signature-gatherer, with a range of receptaclesfor holding the piles of signatures, of a table composed of sectionsbeneath the receptacles and means for reciprocating said table, pivotedatmospheric separators between one table-section and the next, meansforswinging said separators after the folded edges of the signatures havebeen drawn to the separators by atmospheric action, a pivoted deflectoradjacent to each separator, and means for actuating the deflectors sothat they are moved forward and swung upward upon their pivots inadvance of the movement given to the reciprocating table, substantiallyas set forth.

4. The combination in a signature-gatherer, with a range of receptaclesfor holding the piles of signatures, of a table composed of sectionsbeneath the receptacles and means for reciprocating said table, pivotedatmospheric separators between one table-section and the next, means forswinging said separators after the folded edges of the signatures havebeen drawn to the separators by atmospheric action, a pivoted deflectoradjacent to each separator, and means for actuating the deflectors sothat they are moved forward and swung upward upon their pivots and thencarried forward with the reciprocating table, substantially asspecified.

5. The combination in a signature-gatherer, with a range of receptaclesVfor holding the piles of signatures, of a table composed of sectionsbeneath the receptacles and means for reciprocating said table, pivotedatmospheric separators between one table-section and the next, means forswingingsaid separators after the folded edges of the signatures havebeen drawn to the separators by atmospheric action, a pivoted detlectoradjacent to each separator and means for actuating the deflectors sothat they are moved forward and swung upward upon their pivots and thencarried forward with the table and arrested and swung down before thetable reaches the end of its forward movement,substantially asspecified.

6. The combinationinasignature-gatherer, with a range of receptacles forholding the piles of signatures, of a table composed of sec- IOO IIO

tions beneath the receptacles and means for reciprocating said table,pivoted atmospheric separators between one table-section and the next,means for swinging said separators after the folded edges of thesignatures have been' drawn to the separators by atmospheric action, apivoted deflector adjacent to each separator, and means for actuatingthe deflectors so that they are moved forward and swung upward upon thepivots and then carried forward with the table and arrested and swungdown, and then swung upward again upon the return movement of the table,substantially as specified.

7. The combinationin asignature-gatherer with a range of receptacles forholding the piles of signatures, a table composed of sections beneaththe receptacles, means for reciprocating said table, pivoted atmosphericseparators between one table-section and the next, and means foractuating said separators, of a deector adjacent to each separator,crossbars to which the deflectors are pivoted, a

. pull-bar to which the cross-bars are connected,

inclines upon the table for raising and lowering the deectors, and meansfor actuating the pull-bar, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination in a signature-gatherer, with a range of receptaclesfor holding the piles of signatures, a table composed of sectionsbeneath the receptacles, means for reciprocating said table, pivotedatmospheric separators between one table-section and the next,and meansfor actuating said separators, of a deflector adjacent to eachseparator, cross-bars to which the separators are pivoted a pull-bar towhich the cross-bars are connected, inclines upon the table for'raisingand lowering the delector, a stop upon the pullbar, a spring acting tomove the pull-bar in one direction and a cam and lever for moving thepull-bar in the other direction, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination in a signature-gathering machine, with a range ofsignature-receptacles, a reciprocating table beneath the receptacles,means for reciprocating said table, pivoted atmospheric separatorsbetween one section and the next, and means for actuating saidseparators, of a plate 15 at each table-section adapted to be movedlengthwise of the table so that the edge of said plate may be broughtnearer to or farther from the line of the pivots of the separator, andmeans for clamping said plate to the table, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination in a signature-gathering machine, with a range ofsignature-receptacles, a reciprocating table beneath the receptacles,means for reciprocating said table, pivoted atmospheric separatorsbetween one table-section and the next, and means for actuating saidseparators, of an adjustable plate 15 at each table-section, means forclamping said plate to the .table at the desired place, the hinged plate54and the plates 156 secured to said table and with their outer ends online with the pivots of the separator, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination in a signature-gatherer, with a range ofsignature-receptacles, a reciprocating table beneath the receptacles,means for reciprocating said table, pivoted atmospheric separatorsbetween one table-section and the next, and an arm upon each separator,of grooved cam-plates to act upon the arms of the separators and raiseand lower them, a slide-rod to which said cam-plates are adjustablysecured, and means for moving said slide-rod, substantially as setforth.

12. The combination in a signature-gatherer, with a range ofsignature-receptacles, a reciprocating table beneath the receptacles,means for reciprocating said table pivoted atmospheric separatorsbetween one table-section and the next, and an arm upon each separator,of grooved cam-plates to act upon the arms of the separators to raiseand lower them, a slide-rod to which said cam-plates are adjustablysecured, a spring around said rod for moving the same in one direction,and a cam, lever and link for moving said rod in the other direction,substantially as set forth.

13. The combination in a signature-gatherer,with a table and means forreciprocating the same, of front and back stops forming the front andback partitions of the signature-receptacle, means for supporting saidfront and back stops, a shaft fitted to turn in each pair of said frontstops, hooks connected to said shaft and adapted to support thefolded-back edges of the pile of signatures between said stops, a springaround said shaft tending to press the fingers between said signatures,an arm at the end of said shaft, and an incline on the table to takeagainst said arm and move the hooks away from the signatures,substantially as set forth.

14. The combination in a signature-gatherer, with a table and means forreciprocating the same, of the front stops and vtheir supports,horizontal rods fitted to slide in said supports, thesupportingback-stop bars clamped to said rods, back stops secured tosaid back-stop bars, and means for moving said rods to adj ust all theback stops simultaneously, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination in a signature-gatherer,with a table and means forreciprocating the same, of the front stops and their supports,horizontal rods fitted to slide in said supports, the supporting backstop bars clamped to said rods, back stops secured to said back-stopbars, a cross-head to which said rods are secured, guide-bars for saidcross-head, a support for said guide-bars, and a screw-rod for movingsaid cross-head, substantially as set forth.

16. The combination in a signature-gatherer,with a table and means forreciprocating the same, of the front stops and their supports,horizontal rods fitted to slide in said supports, thel back-stop barsupported by said rods and having teeth upon one side of said IOO otedto the table between one section and the neXt,a pivoted detlectoradjacent to each separator and means for swinging the separators anddelectors, of the front and back stops and means for supporting thesame, and hinged plates attached to the back stops that drop verticallywhen the table is near the end of its forward movement, substantially asset forth.

18. In asignature-gatherer,the combination with meansfor supporting thesignatures and delivering them upon a signature-slide, of asignature-slide composed of a central stationary bar and two movablebars, a shaft for supporting said bars, said shaft having right and lefthand screw-threads thereon, supports for the ends of said shaft and abearing for the shaft at the central bar,and nuts for said screw-shaftupon the under side of the movable bars, so that by turning said shaftthe movable bars are brought nearer to or farther from the central baraccording to the direction of turning said screw-shaft, substantially asset forth.

19. In asignature-gatherer,the combination with two ranges of devicesfor supporting the signatures and delivering them upon two sig?nature-slides, of a signature-slide beneath each range of supporting anddelivering devices, each slide being composed of a stationary centralbar and two movable bars, screw-shafts extending across beneath saidsignature-slides, each shaft having right and left hand screw-threads,bearings for the ends of each shaft and bearings at the central barsalso, nuts upon the under side of said movable bars to receive thescrew-threaded portons of said shafts, sprocket-Wheels upon said shafts,and an endless chain passing around said sprocket-wheels, so that wheneither shaft is rotated the other shaft is rotated also and all thesignature-slides adjusted simultaneously, substantially as set forth.

20. In a machine for gathering signatures, the combination with tworanges of devices for supporting the signatures and delivering them upontwo signature-slides, of a signature-slide beneath each range ofsupporting and delivering devices, each slide beingV composed of acentral bar and two movable bars, a screw-shaft extending acrossbeneathsaid signature-slidesand supported at its ends, said shaft havingright and left hand screwthreads for each si gnature-slid e, bearingsfor said shaft at the central bars, and nuts upon the movable bars forreceiving the screwthreaded portions of said shaft, so that by turningsaid shaft both signature-slides are adjusted, ,substantially as setforth.

21. In amachine for gathering signatures,

the combination with means for supporting 'as set forth.

22. In a machine for gathering signatures, the combination With meansfor supporting and delivering the signatures, a signatureslide uponwhich the signatures fall, an endless chain and pushers for conveyingthe signatures progressively along said slide, of a shaft supportedabove and transversely of the signatuie-slide,ngers connected to saidshaft for detaining the signatures and bringing the advancing edges ofthe signatures in line before they pass olf the signature-slide,bearings for said shaft, a rod connected to an arm on said shaft, ashaft and camfor actuating said rod,and a spring to forcethe fingerstoward the advancing pile of signatures, substantially as set forth.

23. The combination in a signature-gathering machine with thesignature-slide, the endless chain for conveying the signatures alongsaid slide, and sprocket-wheels around which said endless chain passes,of two loose bevelgears, a continuously-rotating shaft passing throughthe same and to one of whichY gears one of said sprocket-Wheels iskeyed, a bevelpinion meshing with said bevel-gears, a collar secured tosaid shaft, a pivot-stud secured to said collar and upon which saidbevel-pinion rotates, means for holding one bevel-gear stationary duringone half-revolution of said continuously-revolving shaft to set thelchain in motion and means for releasingsaid wheel to stop the chain,whereby said endless chain is stationary during one half-revolution ofsaid shaft andl is moving during the other half-revolution of saidshaft, substantially as set forth. l

24. The combination in a signature-gathering machine, with thesignature-slide, an endless .chain for conveying the signatures alongsaid slide and sprocket-wheels around which said endless chain passes,of two bevel-gears, acontinuously-rotating shaft upon which saidbevel-gears are loosely mounted and to one of which gears one of saidsprocket-Wheels is keyed,a bevel-pinion meshing with said bevelwheels, acollar secured to said shaft, a pivotstud secured to said collar andupon which stud said bevel -vpinion rotates, a tooth 90 upon thebevel-gear 84, a pendent pawl 91, and a finger 93v upon said pawl and inthe path-of the projectingend ofthe stud of the bevel-pinion,substantiallyV asY and for the purposes set forth.

25.- TheA combination in a machine for gathering signatures,h`avingtwohorizontal ranges IOO IIO

of signature-gathering appliances,with transverse troughs into which thegathered signatures are passed, an endless chain and pushers for movingalong the signatures in said troughs, and sprocket-wheels around whichsaid chain passes, of a pinion fixed to a shaft upon which one of saidsprocket-wheels rotates, a tooth upon the hub of said pinion, aspring-bolt in the hub of said sprocket-wheel, and means for rotatingsaid pinion rst in one direction and then in the other, substantially asset forth.

26. The combination in a machine for gatherin g si gnatures,havin g twohorizontal ranges of signature-gathering appliances, with transversetroughs into which the gathered signatures are passed, an endless chainand pushers for moving along the signatures in said troughs, andsprocket-wheels around which said chain passes, of a pinion, a studcarrying said pinion and upon which one of said sprocket-wheels rotates,a tooth upon the hub of said pinion, a spring-bolt in the hub of saidsprocket-wheel, a rack engaging said pinion, a gear-wheel and means forrotating the same, and a rod connected to said gearwheel and rack forgiving an up-and-down movement to said rack and rotating said pinion inopposite directions, substantially as set forth.

27. In a machine for gathering signatures a receiving-trough into whichthe gathered signatures are assembled in volumes, consisting of a backportion 122, a support for the same, a bottom portion hinged at one endand free at the other end, and a latch-bar for holding said bottom inplace, in combination with a pusher for moving the volumes along in saidtrough, said pusher and the bottom of the trough being slotted to allowof said bottom being adjusted, substantially as set forth;

28. The combination in a machine for gathering signatures, with a rangeof receptacles for holding the piles of signatures, a reciprocatingtable beneath said receptacles, atmospheric separators for drawingdownward the folded-back edges of the signatures and means for swingingsaid separators, of a cam and its shaft for reciprocating said table',said cam having a curved projecting portion for giving a short quickforward-and-backward movement to said table before commencing to givethe regular backward movement to said table, substantially as set forth.

29. The combination in a signature-gatherer, with thesignature-receptacles, reciprocating table, separators and deflectorsapplied to said table and means for actuating said separators anddeflectors, of a cam for actuating said table, a shaft for said cam, apivoted lever upon which said cam acts, and a rod connected at one endto said lever and at the other end to said table, said lever having anumber of holes arranged lengthwise of said lever so that said rod canbe connected to said lever nearer to or farther from the pivot of saidlever to regulate the movement given to the table, substantially as setforth.

Signed by me this 8th day of September, 1900.

JOS. E. SHYTH.

Witnesses:

CHAs. H. SMITH, BERTHA M. ALLEN.

